Impressions - February 2014 - 24

options to fatten the width of stitches
right at the machine? Most can recover
from a power failure and resume where
they stopped stitching, even if the frame
was moved while the power was out.
Many will let you skip around the design by either keying in a stitch number
or jumping around by color changes. The
list goes on.
All of these things are designed to make
your life easier when you encounter problems. It's important to know these features
exist and how to use them. That's why it's
also important that you read your machine's accompanying instruction manual
- even though it may be the uncool thing
to do ... especially for guys. We don't want
to read the instructions until all else fails.
But perusing the manual may enlighten
you to features you never knew existed.
Use common colors in thread
arrangement. Ever wonder why
today's embroidery machines
have so many needles? It isn't
necessarily so you can run designs
containing more colors. The main

Any small burr or rough spot on the needle will cause a
thread break. Since all needles don't get the same amount of usage, replace
them as the performance falls off for each particular needle.

A MeSSAge
from Your Machine
Listen

, as your embroidery machine, I know you put a significant investment into my purchase. If you want
me to run efficiently and produce at the highest-possible level, I'm going to need a little help.
I'm sure you know the old phrase, "You scratch my back; I'll scratch yours." Well, I don't have a back, but if you
take care of me, I'll take care of you. This article is a good start, but let me expand on a few things for you.

Check the Chart - My manufacturer provides a chart of parts that need to be oiled and how often you should
do this. It's in the manual. Some manufacturers even put it on a sticker and place it right on me. Want to keep me
purring for a long time? Just follow the chart.

Keep Swabbing - If you look at the oiling chart, you'll see needle bars listed. These can be a little tricky. If you
put too much oil on them, it'll spatter all over the garments - especially white ones. So needle bars commonly
get ignored. After awhile, sewing quality gets affected as the needle bars start to get a little sticky.
A better plan is to cut back on the quantity of oil. The best way to do this is to use a cotton swab. Dip it in oil, pull
each of the needle bars on the sewing head down individually and wipe them. By doing it this way, you're simultaneously cleaning and oiling my needle bars.

3.
4.

Spring Cleaning - Just like the closet in your bedroom, I have areas that can accumulate unwanted stuff.
Every now and then, it is a good idea to take the covers off and clean things out.

Don't Touch That Dial - I know it's tempting, but the more you mess with my tension knobs, the worse I tend
to perform. I understand there are slight variances in tension between various garments and thread, but the key
word is "slight. And hey, you probably use the same type of thread most of the time anyway.
"
If the tension is out of whack, do a tension test by sewing a simple satin line in each color. Compare the tensions,
adjust accordingly and then leave it alone!

Impressions | February 2014

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Impressions - February 2014

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